Variable Penetrance of a Consensus Classification Scheme for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Following the publication of the Heidelberg classification scheme, we have described the differential changes in incidence rates for newly described histologic variants. Our results suggest incomplete penetration of these guidelines. The continued reporting of granular cell histologic types is particularly noteworthy, given that it is no longer recognized as a distinct histologic subtype. Proper categorization of the histologic subtype (eg, chromophobe, papillary, clear cell) is imperative, because it may confer useful information regarding the prognosis, response to adjuvant treatment, and eligibility for clinical trials.